The Railway Protection Force (RPF) in Coimbatore apprehended two scrap collectors on Monday for placing an aluminium ladder on the railway track between Coimbatore North and Peelamedu stations on May 9. The suspects have been identified as G Nagaraj, 35, from Veera Keralam, and A Kandasamy, 45, from Karamadai.
Incident Details
On May 9, a locomotive struck the ladder that had been placed on the up-line track. The impact generated a loud noise, compelling the loco pilot to apply emergency brakes. The pilot promptly alerted RPF officials, who registered a case under multiple sections of the Railways Act. The incident prompted a high-priority investigation over suspected sabotage.
Investigation and Arrest
Subsequent inquiries revealed that two men had positioned the ladder on the track. RPF personnel tracked them down and detained them on Monday. During questioning, the men admitted that they had placed the ladder on the track to break it into smaller pieces for sale as scrap.
An RPF official explained, 'The men had found the aluminium ladder and attempted to sell it to a local scrap dealer. However, the dealer reportedly refused to buy it in its original form and advised them to cut it into smaller pieces. Unable to break the metal themselves, they decided to place it on the track, hoping it would be crushed when run over by a train.'
Both individuals were produced before a court and remanded in judicial custody.
